More than the relief provisions of Lockdown 4 being implemented across Udaipur, it was the opening up of public parks and free public movement that brought a sigh of relief to the residents of Udaipur.

However, this relief is provided to ensure that things come back to a normal cycle by the time the lockdown ends across the country.  Each state, district and town is to its own in this phase and a pan India or pan state model cannot be implemented across simultaneously.

Accordingly, Udaipur will need to establish its own timeline and intradependent phased approach.

Today, the opening of public parks in the city of lakes, especially around the peripheri of Fatehsagar, was interesting and gave rise to questions and appreciation of rationality in decision making by the administration.

Questions:

Despite advisories on maintenance of lockdown discipline and social distancing norms, one aspect that the administration did not take into consideration was prohibiting swimming in the lakes. Fatehsagar is a hotspot for swimming in the morning hours, especially during summers. The administration needs to address this aspect and prohibit swimming in Fatehsagar, and for that matter any other lake as virus spread through swimming pools and such open lakes will be a disaster and this water, though not potable, is still used for such purposes, especially by rural folk.

इन साहब को संक्रमण के डर से ज्यादा पानी में कूदने का शौक है - dishonoring Social Distancing and Lockdown norms

(this man has no respect for the norms and is least bothered about the rules)

As the gates to Fatehsagar opened at 7am today morning, it was a well established rationale that Fatehsagar and the likes should not be allowed to operated for the complete 12 hours window, i.e. 7am to 7pm.  Reason (appreciation of rationality in decision making by the administration) -

• the opening of public parks has been done to facilitate avenues for walking, jogging or exercise in these areas, which was a demand being raised for quite some time. Hence these areas need to be opened only during the early morning hours and towards the later part of the permitted window, as a morning or evening walker or exercise enthusiast has no need of such places in the interim hours of the day;
• a public park or open spot like Fatehsagar is frequented quite often for just being around without any specific reason. Permitting a full day access will need constant monitoring and additional hands to ensure that Section 144 and social distancing norms are being followed
• opening a public park for a limited number of hours will ensure that only genuine persons use the premises - walkers, joggers, exercise enthusiasts
• opening a public park for a limited number of hours will ensure that full monitoring personnel are not needed and can be better utilised elsewhere
• Fatehsagar is also used as a thoroughfare - hence monitoring of vehicles plying on the route will be another wasteful monitoring 

​​​​​​​A FEW PICTURES OF AROUND FATEHSAGAR on 30 MAY as the Lockdown 4 norms are adopted